Connector and connection for storage batteries.



T A. WILLARD. CONNECTOR AND CONNECTION FOR STORAGE BATTERIES.APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1915.

1%?35397 Q Patented May 8, 1917.

25 W WM fizz-125w UNITED THEODORE A. WILLARD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,ASSIGNOR TO WILLARD STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8 1911.7.

Application filed July 16, 1915. Serial No. 40,188.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, 'lnnonomc A. NIL-- LARD,a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland. in the county of(uyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in (onnectors and Connections for Storage Batteries. ofwhich the tollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a terminal connector and connection forstorage batteries, and has for its chiel olnect to provide aconstruction which overcomes many of the disadvantages ol prior taperedplug connections employed heretofore on storage batteries. Thisapplication is a continuation of and covers a modification of a somewhatsimilar construction constituting the subject matter of a companionapplication Serial.

No. 40,185) filed by me of even date here- 7 with.

One of the more specific ()bJGCfS of the invention, is to provide aconnection which is inexpensive, strong, compact and durable.

and wherein the cooperating parts including the battery connector, havelow resist ance and have such contacting area and are held together sofirmly that the connection or joint has low resistance and acid isprevented from creeping between the contacting surfaces. A furtherobject is to provide a connection having a minimum height and which canbe easily assembled or taken apart.

A still further object is to provide a connection having the abovementioned characteristics wherein the main contacting terminal membersare or may be formed of sheet metal pnnchings.

The above and other. objects are attained. by my invention, Which may bebriefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will bedescribed in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is'a top plan view of aportion of the battery equipped with my improved connector-andconnection; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the several parts of theconnection; Fig. 3 is a view showing the main parts disconnected; andFig. 4 is a view similar to Fi 2 showing a. modification.

the terminal 1:).

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents a battery jar. and 11 abattery terminal or connector which is preferably formed of lead or leadalloy. This connector has a body portion provided with a socket whichreceives the usual terminal postll project-- ing up through the cover ofthe battery and lead-lnirned to the post. The connector is provided witha' lateral extension 12 projecting from the body of the connector nearthe cover and offset or displaced vertically from the top of theconnector. Embedded in this connector is an insert 13 ot' relativelyhard good current conducting material, snchas copper or brass. Thisinsert, which is preferably formed ol' a sheet metal punching, extendsthrough the extension 12 into the body portion ot the connector, whereit is provided with a portion in the form of an annulus extending aboutthe socket and post. At its other end the insert is provided with aconical boss or head 1'1 threaded on the interior and projecting throughthe top of the lateral extension 12.

The other main cooperating part of the connection onsists of a terminal15 of a flexible electric conductor 16. this terminal being also formedfrom a sh et. metal stampin;- or punching of good conducting material.such as copper or brass, and being provided near its end with aninternally'and externally tapered l aid or boss 17, the taper of whichcoincides with the taper of the part 14- of the insert.

The tapered projection l? oi the terminal 15 fits down onto the outertapered surface of the. part 1% ot-the insert, as shown in Fig. l

2. and these cooperating tapered parts are clamped very tightly togetherby a screw 18 provided with a threaded shank-which engages in thethreaded opening of the tapered part of the insert and in the preferredconstruction with a head having an interiorly tapered flange 19 whichfits down onto the exteriorly tapered projection 17 of This flange isinclined or tapered in conformity with the taper of the other two partsso that the three elements 14., 17 and 19 are nested. so to speak. andthere is a good area of contact between each pair of engaging" parls.

In Fig. l l have shown a modification which is oi the geniacoustructionas that 'shOWn in the preccihng figures. except the clamping screw here,designated :20 is provided with a plain head without the llange 19, andthe part which engages the outer tapered surface of the tapered portion17 ot' the conductor terminal is in the torm ot' a separate piececonsisting of a cupped washer having inner and outer tapered surfaces.

The tapered part of the insert which projeets front the connector. theterminal 15. the washer 21 of Fig. l. and all of the clamping screwexcept the threaded shank. will he coated with lead so that these partswill not he corroded hy'acid. This may he done hy plating. or the leadmay he cast onto the parts. The coating is indicated in Figs. 2. 3 andr, and is designated 22. When the screw is tightened the tapered part oithe terminal 13 is clamped very tightly lietwcen the other two taperedparts with the result that an exceedingly tight. joint is provided whichhas very low electri -al resistance and the surfa es of the cooperatingparts are so tirm-ly clamped together that acid will not creep hetweenthe surfaces so as to corrode them. ln consequence. the parts can heeasily disasseinhled when desired and will not Stltih as has heen thecase with most of the tapered plug con ueetors used heretofore.

Additionally. the construction while very etl'icient from mechanical andelectrical standpoints. is inexpensive in viow ot the low cost of theinsert 13 and conductor terminal 13 and the rapidity with which they mayhe stamped out; and formed into shape. A still further importantadvantage resides in the low overall height of the connection as awhole. this heing due to the nesting or telescoping action of the parts.and the fact that the tapered part of the insert projects from theextension 12 which is hclow the top of the connector ll. tt may hementioned also that the construction admits of the terminal 17 heingpointed or turned in my direction with respect to the hatter) terminalll.

llaving thus descrihed my invention. what 1 claim is:

l. hattery connector comprising a hod) having an insert of relativelyhard material. said insert heing composed ot a sheet metal stampingprovided with a tapered part projecting from the connector.

' .2. hattery connector comprising a'hody having a lateral extension. asheet metal insert of relatively hard material in said cx tension andprovided with a tapered terminal portion.

25. hattery connector comprising a body having a socket for a terminalpost and I p. having a relatively hard sheet metal insert with a portionextending ahout the oats and a tapered portion projecting from theconnector and adapted to he attached to a conductorterminal.

t. connection adapted particularly l'or storage hatteries comprising ahattery terminal having an insert ol' relativelv hard material with apart projecting from the terniinal.a conductorterminal havinga taperedportion which engages the projecting part of the insert. and clampingmeans for t'astening the parts together and provided with a portiontapered which tits onto the tapered part ol the conductor terminal.

.3. connection adapted for storage hatteries comprising a hatteryterminal having a tapered part: a conductor terminal having a part withtapered surl ac'es. one tapered snrl'ace engaging the taperedpart of thehattery terminal: and clamping means hav ing a tapered surt'aee tiltingonto another tapered surl'ace ot' the conductor terminal.

1. in a connection tor storage hatteries. a col neetor having an insertcomposed ol' sheet metal stamping provided with a tapered part. aconductor terminal formed from sheet metal and having a tapered part.

and a threaded clamping memher t'or drawing the tapered parts together.

T. In a connection l'onstoragc hatteries. a connector having an insertcomposed ol' sheet metal stamping provided with a tapered partprojecting from the connector. a conductor terminal l'ormed from sheetmetal and having a tapered part engaging said tapered part of theinsert. clamping means l'or drawing the tapered parts t gether. andincluding a memher having a tapered portion which engages the exteriorof one of said tapered parts.

H. connection for storage. hatteries. comprising a hattery connector orterminal having a lateral extension, an insert ol relatively hardmaterial in said extension provided with a tapered part. projectingthere tronna conductorterminal havinga tapered part which engages thetapered projeetring part ol the insert. a threaded clamping memher l'ordrawing said tapered parts together said insert and said terminal ol'the con ductor heing stamped from sheet metal.

in testimony whereol', l hereunto atlix my signature.

'lll EODOR I A. WILLA ltl).

til)

